Howard Hampton is officially returning to politics, promising to improve the beleaguered relationship between Canada and First Nations.
The former leader of Ontario's NDP captured the federal Kenora Riding nomination on Friday night over first-time hopeful Peter Edwards.
For the last seven months, Hampton has served as NDP Leader Tom Mulcair's special advisor on the Ring of Fire, meeting with First Nations across Northern Ontario. Pointing to Neskantaga First Nation, which has been under a boil-water advisory since 1995, Hampton said the Conservative government has failed to make strategic investments to build "respectful and meaningful" relationships with remote communities.
"You can't say to Neskantaga First Nation on the one hand, 'we want to work with you to develop the Ring of Fire but oh, by the way, we couldn't care less whether you have safe, clean drinking water," he said. "The Harper gang has made those relationships worse."
From the oil industry in Alberta to the resource industry in Northern Ontario, Hampton said he's hearing a chorus of business leaders rallying around a progressive evolution in environmental and First Nations policies. He believes renewing those relationships is not only morally responsible but the only route to developing Northern Ontario's estimated $250-billion in untapped natural resources.
"To develop even part of that -- I'm not suggesting it all be developed -- we all have to sit down and work cooperatively and respectfully with the First Nations of the Northwest. My point is this: instead of ignoring the issues that First Nations raise, my commitment is to work cooperatively and respectfully with First Nations so that we're all better off; so that we can have some meaningful jobs; so that the First Nations communities will have some hope of self-sufficiency and opportunity; and so that all people will have better opportunities and job prospects into the future."
Hampton will face incumbent Kenora Conservative MP Greg Rickford and former Liberal MP Bob Nault in October's election.
